Thursday

Jun 25, 2009 at 12:01 AMJun 25, 2009 at 7:55 AM

Two individuals looking to build homes just outside of Beach City were assured by village council on Monday that they will have access to electrical service supplied by the village utilities department.

Two individuals looking to build homes just outside of Beach City were assured by village council on Monday that they will have access to electrical service supplied by the village utilities department.
“When does the bleeding stop?” Village Solicitor Jennifer Curati asked council after advising them they cannot continue to violate the state constitution by providing electrical service to those outside the village.
Curati’s admonitions made an impact as council agreed to draw up an ordinance establishing a deadline after which individuals building a house outside the village will not have access to electrical service supplied by the village utilities department.
Council voted unanimously to allow electrical hookups to be given to Adam Clark and Eldon Glick. Clark purchased property on Colwood Street, just west of the village. Glick, a contractor, is in the process of constructing a house on U.S. 62 near Baylor Beach.
Clark and Glick were both informed by a village employee that hooking onto the village’s power would not be a problem. Based on that, council felt it had an obligation to provide electrical service.
Myron Allen, Dan Kloha, Marsha Lambert, Darold Willis and Francis Bailey voted yes. Don Tucker was absent.
Village administrator Terry Madden said at a recent council meeting the two property owners outside the village requested a hook-up to the village’s electric. He said state auditors gave the village a non-compliance citation for its practice of allowing hook-ups outside the village. The village has sold 62 percent of its electric outside village limits compared to 38 percent inside the village.
Auditors told Village Clerk Deb Rentsch the village must sell no more than half of its electrical service to property owners outside the village. She said at some point the state will fine the village for not complying and that cost will be passed on to the residents. She also said the village does not receive any real estate taxes from those properties outside its corporation limits.

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